As if sending two athletes to the NCAAs was not enough of an accomplishment for the Rutgers swimming and diving team, senior diver Nicole Scott earning All-American honors certainly exceeded expectations.The Toronto native was named an Honorable Mention All-American for advancing to the finals of the platform event at the 2014 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships last Saturday in Minneapolis.

When the season started for the Rutgers swimming and diving team, head coach Phil Spiniello’s goal was to become a nationally ranked program.While the Scarlet Knights ultimately fell short of that goal this season, they achieved just about everything else. The Knights broke seven school records at last week’s AAC Conference Championships. Six of them came from sophomores Joanna Wu and Morgan Pfaff.

With a larger and more experienced roster than previous years, the Rutgers swimming and diving team begins the AAC Championships today in Louisville, Ky., full of excitement. The Scarlet Knights (9-4-1) enter the conference championships with a chip on their shoulders, fully tapered and brimming with confidence following two straight quad meet victories.

With the regular season coming to an end, the Rutgers swimming and diving team can finally focus all its attention on the AAC Championships from Feb. 19022 in Louisville, Ky. The Scarlet Knights have more than a week to prepare for the biggest meet of their season, which sees them facing some quality programs in No. 13 Louisville and Southern Methodist.

Prior to Saturday’s meet at the RU Aquatics Center, head coach Phil Spiniello challenged the Rutgers swimming and diving team to raise its performance. It was not because the team had been underperforming — the Scarlet Knights entered the quad meet on two straight victories and had been strong throughout the entire season.

As if senior day was not enough motivation, spots on the Rutgers swimming and diving teams conference championship roster could also be decided this Saturday. The Scarlet Knights (7-4-1) face two former Big East rivals in Georgetown (3-10) and Providence (4-7) at the RU Aquatics Center in the final regular season meet of the season.

As the Rutgers swimming and diving team prepares for its final meet of the regular season Saturday, the AAC Championships will not be the only event on the team’s mind. While success at the AAC Championships is the main goal, the meet also provides the Scarlet Knights a final chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships in March.

If one were to attend a Rutgers swimming and diving meet at the RU Aquatics Center, it is easy for divers to go unnoticed. Frantic fans screaming at the top of their lungs and coaches and teammates rapidly waving their arms back and fourth, encouraging swimmers to go faster, usually garner the fans attention. But the program knows it has senior diver Nicole Scott, the newly named NJAIAW Woman of the Year, as the Scarlet Knights’ secret weapon.

With almost three weeks remaining in the season, the Rutgers swimming and diving team’s primary focus is preparing for the AAC championships. The tournament runs from Feb. 19-Feb. 22. But when the season ends, the Scarlet Knights will face the same dilemma every college program has when losing its top seniors.

It was all smiles for the Rutgers swimming and diving team following its meet Saturday afternoon at the RU Aquatics Center. Despite going winless in their last two road contests, the Scarlet Knights hardly looked like a team lacking in confidence. The Knights dominated their races and dives, winning 11 of the 16 events on the day and collecting wins against Fordham (6-3), 169-128, and Rider (1-8-1), 211-79.

With the AAC championships rapidly approaching, the Rutgers swimming and diving team returns to its home pool in hopes of gaining some valuable momentum. The Scarlet Knights will host Fordham and Rider tomorrow morning in their second-to-last meet of the season at the RU Aquatics Center. Following four straight away meets against fierce competition, head coach Phil Spiniello has high hopes for the team entering the weekend.